What is the meaning of Matthew 22:38? This Matthew 22:38 begins with a demonstrative that reaches back to Jesus’ quotation of Deuteronomy 6:5: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength”. • By saying “This,” He singles out wholehearted love for God as the central point of reference. • Exodus 20:3 lays the groundwork—“You shall have no other gods before Me”—showing Scripture’s continuous focus on exclusive devotion. • Joshua 22:5 reminds Israel to “love the LORD your God … and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul”, underscoring that love is meant to guide every era of God’s people. is The verb nails down certainty. No guesswork, no debate—Jesus states a settled fact. • Psalm 119:160 insists, “The entirety of Your word is truth”, so when Jesus says something “is,” believers receive it as fixed reality. • John 17:17: “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth”. What He declares shapes how we think, feel, and act. the first “First” speaks of rank and priority. • Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”. Pursuing God comes before every pursuit. • Colossians 1:18 affirms Christ “so that in all things He may have preeminence”. Loving God sits at the top of every believer’s agenda. • Revelation 2:4 warns, “You have forsaken your first love”. Losing this priority leads to spiritual drift. and greatest Jesus pairs priority with magnitude. • 1 Corinthians 13:13: “But the greatest of these is love”. No virtue outshines love. • Deuteronomy 10:12 backs this up: “What does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God … and to love Him”. • When love for God is “greatest,” every other command finds its rightful place (Matthew 22:39). commandment This is not advice; it carries divine authority. • John 14:15: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments”. Obedience demonstrates genuine love. • 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome”. • Practical outworking: – Heart: affections oriented to God (Psalm 73:25). – Soul: inner life consecrated (Psalm 42:1). – Mind: thoughts shaped by truth (Romans 12:2). – Strength: actions energized for His honor (Colossians 3:23). summary Matthew 22:38 exalts the call to love God above every other directive. Jesus declares it certain (“is”), places it first in order and importance, labels it the greatest in weight and influence, and frames it as an authoritative command. When believers give God undivided, wholehearted love, every other command—loving neighbor, pursuing holiness, spreading the gospel—falls beautifully into place. |
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